Track & Field, Outdoor - Girls Varsity

The track and field program at The Governor's Academy dates back to the 1890s. The team has met with a great deal of success over its long history. In addition, the program has been a starting point for many runners who have gone on to have successful track and field careers at the collegiate level. Our coaching philosophy focuses on not only getting our athletes into better shape but also making them students of their particular events.Our program, which has combined the girls and boys since 1991, allows our athletes to have coaching specialists in all events. We are very fortunate to have a knowledgeable and experienced staff comprised of coaches who were track competitors themselves. Two of our coaches were Division I college athletes. The coaching staff has spent a combined total of over 75 years coaching track & field.

Steven Suomi is the head coach of the track teams at Governor’s. In college, Suomi ran at Colby College where he was a captain of the team, and he competed in the intermediate hurdles and the mile relay. He has been coaching outdoor and indoor track and field for over fifteen years. Suomi is a USATF Level I certified coach, and he is USATF Level II certified coach in the sprints, jumps, and hurdles.

Coach Andrew DeSalvo works with the throwing contingent of the track and field team. In high school, he threw shot put and javelin along with captaining the team in his senior year. At Williams College, he focused primarily on the shot put but also competed in javelin and discus.

Also working with the throwers is Coach Gerry. He was a standout track and field athlete in high school where he was a captain and three year letter winner. At Governor’s, he coached the football team for eighteen years and won four ISL titles and three New England championships.

Coach Mary Ellen Karin is in charge of the sprinters, high hurdlers, and javelin throwers. While at the University of New Hampshire, she was a captain of the team and competed in the long jump and hurdles. She is a former head coach at the Academy and has coached here for over 35 years. Coach Karin is a USATF Level I certified coach.

Coach Jeff Kelly ’85 ran two seasons of track and one season of cross-country at Governor Dummer Academy. He is the head coach of the boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams and the distance coach for the track and field team. Coach Kelly has worked with runners at Governor’s for over a decade. He runs local road races throughout the year and is a USATF Level I certified coach

The jumps coach, Raymond Long ’96, returned to his alma mater and has been coaching Govs’ track and field since 2006. While a student at the Academy, he competed in the long jump, triple jump, 100 meters, and the 4 X 100 meter relay. He went on to compete at Dartmouth College in the javelin and triple jump. Coach Long is a USATF Level I certified coach.